Well it has finally come to an end... I can't believe it! I have given back all my subjects, and the kids are going to enjoy their Thanksgiving Day with families. When I return on the 29th, I will be assisting and helping students in small groups. The week after I will be teaching my learning cycle in the science room in 5th grade (to fulfill some of the wonderful rubric requirements :p) After that week it will be time to head home for the holidays! It has gone by so fast! I have learned so much from all of my wonderful host teachers and my challenging students! Parents have gnashed their teeth at me and for the most part I have been able to come out alive with minimal damage! I am going to be extremely sad when it is time to leave this 5th grade. I think we have all learned so much from each other and I continue to look forward to spending some time with them during my contract hours in the Spring! For now I am going to enjoy my Thanksgiving Break and come in on Monday with a bittersweet feeling about finishing out my Internship!
HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL!!!
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Social Studies Tests/Conferences
Parents seem to be the really stinky part of this job. After attending conferences and meetings and placing phone calls, I can say that they are the pits sometimes!
Although the conferences were not quite as bad as last time, they were still very interesting! Parents will send mixed messages to teachers, bottom line! My biggest complaint is that we make modifications for certain students and then their parents get angry! They want their students to have the good grades but then they get upset because they are sometimes in denial about the capabilities of their children. It seems like parents are just beginning to realize that their kids are in 5th grade and this is their last year before they have to up to middle school! It seems like the 5th grade is getting the brunt of the parent concerns because they have let these problems progress this far without attention. Parents are requesting that we check their childs' planners and help them pack up at the end of the day. These kids are in 5th grade!!! I think it is sad that they cannot be responsibile enough to pack up their things at the end of the day! I realize that there are some exceptions to this expectation but for some of these students it is a bit rediciulous!
Social Studies Tests:
The tests have been given and graded and for the most part, they were really good! It became very apparent to me who studied and who spent no time preparing at all! There were several students who I was pleasantly surprised with and there were others who also surprised me, but not in a good way!! Testing in classes where there are varied levels of students is a complicated process!! I had to make a modified test for those who qualified. Then there are those students who don't get a modified test, but need it read aloud to them! Then there are the students who get the modified test, but not read aloud to them! I was lucky to have Emily in there with me, other wise it would have been even more complicated! I really appreciate the chance to teach in my specialization area...finally! It has really inspired me to look into the middle school levels and see what classrooms are like there. I would love to teach social studies all day long, but I am fearful of student attitudes at that age!
Although the conferences were not quite as bad as last time, they were still very interesting! Parents will send mixed messages to teachers, bottom line! My biggest complaint is that we make modifications for certain students and then their parents get angry! They want their students to have the good grades but then they get upset because they are sometimes in denial about the capabilities of their children. It seems like parents are just beginning to realize that their kids are in 5th grade and this is their last year before they have to up to middle school! It seems like the 5th grade is getting the brunt of the parent concerns because they have let these problems progress this far without attention. Parents are requesting that we check their childs' planners and help them pack up at the end of the day. These kids are in 5th grade!!! I think it is sad that they cannot be responsibile enough to pack up their things at the end of the day! I realize that there are some exceptions to this expectation but for some of these students it is a bit rediciulous!
Social Studies Tests:
The tests have been given and graded and for the most part, they were really good! It became very apparent to me who studied and who spent no time preparing at all! There were several students who I was pleasantly surprised with and there were others who also surprised me, but not in a good way!! Testing in classes where there are varied levels of students is a complicated process!! I had to make a modified test for those who qualified. Then there are those students who don't get a modified test, but need it read aloud to them! Then there are the students who get the modified test, but not read aloud to them! I was lucky to have Emily in there with me, other wise it would have been even more complicated! I really appreciate the chance to teach in my specialization area...finally! It has really inspired me to look into the middle school levels and see what classrooms are like there. I would love to teach social studies all day long, but I am fearful of student attitudes at that age!
Projects
I am starting a project with my reading class this week. They will have two weeks to complete a report, project, and present this to the class. I have provided students with an outline, my mentor teacher and I pulled appropriate biographies for our lower level students, and they will be given plenty of class time to complete this assignment! I am concerned because these students have not always shown the best work ethic. I am afraid that the projects will be below my expectations (which I have already lowered since 3/4 of the class is special education). I will be curious to see how they will turn out!
I am finishing my full time teaching this week! I can't believe it has gone by so fast! We will be finishing up our Geometry Unit and students will then work with Ms. Tennant on the Divison Unit. Students have taken their unit tests and I was slightly disapointed in the scores. Many students made silly errors and didn't take their time or double check their work! Although I was sad about the scores, I realized that sometimes it is out of the teacher's hands. I could have stood up on my soap box and preached for days, but if the students don't want to hear it then their is nothing I can do about it!
Next week is parent teacher conferences again so I am curious to see if they go any better than last time!
Social Studies is going well! We are preparing for our Unit Test on the Civil War.
I am finishing my full time teaching this week! I can't believe it has gone by so fast! We will be finishing up our Geometry Unit and students will then work with Ms. Tennant on the Divison Unit. Students have taken their unit tests and I was slightly disapointed in the scores. Many students made silly errors and didn't take their time or double check their work! Although I was sad about the scores, I realized that sometimes it is out of the teacher's hands. I could have stood up on my soap box and preached for days, but if the students don't want to hear it then their is nothing I can do about it!
Next week is parent teacher conferences again so I am curious to see if they go any better than last time!
Social Studies is going well! We are preparing for our Unit Test on the Civil War.
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